Caramelized Fuyu Persimmons

Fuyu persimmons are a nice substitute for Granny Smith apples in side dishes. I love caramelizing persimmons and pairing them with roasted duck breast. I don't think a holiday dinner menu can get much more fancy or decadent. We've just had our first crop of Fuyu persimmons this season in our garden, and I decided to take full advantage.

In case you were wondering, there are 2 main varieties of persimmons, Fuyu and Hachiya. The difference is the texture. For this recipe make sure you use Fuyu persimmons, which have are hard, almost carrot-like texture.

Preparation

Bring the apple cider to a near boil. Soak the raisins in the hot liquid and let them sit for about 20 minutes. Drain and reserve both the liquid and raisins separately.

Brush a hot non-stick griddle pan with olive oil. Using a brush, lightly coat the persimmon wedges as well. Place 2 sprigs of thyme on the grill to release a nice aroma while grilling the fruits. Place the wedges on the griddle pan. Cook until you get grill marks (about 2-3 minutes on each side) over medium heat. As soon as the persimmons are grilled, season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper and transfer to a platter.

In another pan, melt the sugar without any water over high heat. It's important to carefully watch the sugar; as soon as the edges of the pan start caramelizing, immediately lower the heat to medium-low. Gently jiggle the pan in circles. Do not use a spoon! Lower the heat to the lowest setting when there are only a few remaining non-caramelized pieces. Don't let the sugar get dark brown or you'll get a burnt taste. When all the sugar is an amber color, remove from the heat, pause for about a minute (be careful of splattering when the butter is added), then slowly add the butter and salt. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Bring back to the stove and, using the lowest setting, add 3-4 tablespoons of reserved apple cider little by little. Increase the heat to medium-low. Add the persimmons and cook, tossing occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes or until the persimmons are coated in caramel and tender. Add the olives and raisins. Toss well.

Found this recipe I believe via foodgawker.com and used it for my Christmas dinner. Was a great hit! (Although I had to bake instead of grill since I don't have one) Was looking for good recipes for my East meets West themed Christmas party and it was a perfect side dish!